Anchor: The leaders of South Korea and Japan held their second bilateral talks in two months in Seoul on Sunday, and reached agreements to further expand their cooperation. Signifying that the two sides can leave their disputes over the colonial past behind to counter North Korean threats, they agreed to ensure business collaboration in the semiconductor industry. They also decided to have a group of Korean experts visit the tsunami-crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan to check the safety of the planned release of radioactive water.
Kim Bum-soo wraps up the summit.

Report: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made it clear that they will no longer be held back by the colonial past. 

The two leaders reached a wide range of agreements during their bilateral talks at the Presidential Office in Seoul on Sunday, leaving behind thorny issues dating back to Japan's colonial occupation of Korea.

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)] 
"I think that we need to go beyond the idea that our two countries cannot take a single step forward towards future cooperation until past (colonial) issues are all settled. It took 12 years to restore shuttle diplomacy, but it only took us two months to complete the mutual visits. It is difficult to make a positive change, but once it begins, it often gathers momentum. I believe that the current state of South Korea-Japan relations is an example."

In an apparent reference to Korean victims of Japan's forced labor during World War II, Kishida said that he is heartbroken for those who had difficult and sad experiences.

[Sound bite: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (Japanese-English)]
"During President Yoon's visit to Japan in March, I clearly told him that my government inherits previous Japanese governments' historical perceptions of the colonial past, including the 1998 Japan-South Korea joint declaration. Our position on the matter is unwavering."
"As the South Korean government's efforts continue on measures announced on March 6 following President Yoon's decision, I am touched by those who opened their minds despite the painful past. My heart also aches that many had difficult and sad experiences while working in bad environments."

The prime minister's words, however, fell short of an official apology over colonial grievances that many South Koreans had hoped for. Brushing aside criticism from the opposition, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration announced in early March that it would compensate victims of wartime forced labor with Seoul's own fund instead of the Japanese companies involved. That decision led to Yoon's visit to Japan later that month to hold the first South Korea-Japan summit in Tokyo in 12 years.

With Kishida's reciprocal visit, Sunday's meeting marks the full resumption of the so-called "shuttle diplomacy", making regular the practice of both leaders taking turns to visit each other's country to hold talks.

Yoon is now scheduled to visit Hiroshima, Japan to attend the Group of Seven Summit later this month.

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)] 
"As this year's Chairperson, Prime Minister Kishida has invited me to the G7 summit in Hiroshima.... On the occasion of my visit, we will together pay tribute to the Monument for Korean Victims in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park."

Illustrating that the past has been left behind, Yoon and Kishida agreed that a group of South Korean experts will visit Japan to inspect Tokyo's plan to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The two leaders also decided that they will ensure business cooperation between South Korean semiconductor manufacturers and Japanese producers of materials, parts, and equipment, as well as solidify supply chains for high-tech chips.

On North Korea, President Yoon told reporters during the news conference that Seoul is not ruling out the possibility of Japan's participation in the U.S. nuclear deterrent measures under the "Washington Declaration."
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.